Automatic weft-replenishing means for looms for weaving



June 11, 1929. P. J. TERRY AUTOMATIC WEFT REPLENISHING MEANS FOR LOOMS FOR WEAVING 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 20, 1927 June 11, 1929. p TERRY 1,716,803

AUTOMATIC WEFT REPLENISHING MEANS FOR LOOMS FOR WEAVING Filed Sept. 20, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 man 7'00 Fume H, 1929. P. J. TERRY 1,716,803

AUTOMATIC WEFT REPLENISHING MEANS FOR LOOMS FOR WEAVING Filed Sept. 20, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 a III 77m? l m-wm June P. J. TERRY 1,716,803

AUTOMATIC WEFT REPLENISHING MEANS FOR LOOMS FOR WEAVING Filed Sept. 20, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I m f/wm June 11, 1929. TERRY 1,716,803

AUTOMATIC WEFT REPLENISHING MEANS FOR LOOMS FOR WEAVING Filed Sept. 20, 1927 5, Sheets-Sheet 5 We. A8.

Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES PETER JAMES TERRY, OF ST. ANNES-ON-SEA, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC WEFT-REPLENISHING MEANS FOR LOOMS FOR WEAVING.

Application filed September 20, 1927, Serial No.

This invention has reference to automatic weft-replenishing means for looms, and has for its object to provide improved automatic means whereby a full or fresh cop, pirn or the like may be substituted for a cop, pirn or the like in the loom-shuttle when the latter is empty, or in case of a breakage in the weftthread, without entailing a stoppage, or a decrease in the speed of the loom.

In means for the purpose set forth, according to the invention, a weft fork, or a feeler mechanism cont-rolled by the weft is, at the time desired, adapted to actuate means whereby a full cop, pirn or the like is removed from a magazine and carried into position above the shuttle a comparatively long time before the slay reaches the end of the forward or beatup stroke, the positioned cop, pirn or the like then moving with the slay when a striking means is operated to displace said full cop, pirn or the like from the carrier and insert it within the shuttle simultaneously ejecting the spent cop, pirn or the'like therefrom.

Further, according to the invention said striking means is mounted upon the slay and adapted to be actuated by the impingement of an abutment incorporated with the striker with a suitable hunter or stop during the completion of the forward or beating-up stroke of the slay.

The invention is hereinafter fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings which exemplify one embodiment thereof adapted to effect replenishment of the weft both when the weft breaks and before the active cop, pirn or the like has been completely exhausted. In this embodiment of the invention the feeler mechanism for initiating the replenishing operation before the active cop, pi rn or the like (hereinafter referred to as the pirn) is completely exhausted, and the weft fork for initiating the said operation when the weft breaks, are arranged at the right hand side of the loom, and the magazine of full pirns and the replenishing mechanism proper, are arranged at the left hand side of the loom.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view looking on the right hand side of the loom and with the slay in section through the shuttle box, showing the feeler mechanism. Fig. 2 is a section in the line 11-11 in Fig. 4 showing the weft fork mechanism. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the shuttle-box at the right hand side of the loom. Fig. 4- is a plan of Fig. 3 and the feeler and weft fork mecha- 220,'660, and in Great Britain October 15, 1926.

nisms arranged in front of the shuttle-box. Fig. 5 is a front elevation ofthe feeler and weft fork mechanism. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section just in front of the magazine and through the shuttle-box at the left hand side of the loom showing the replenishing mechan sm proper in the normal or inoperative position. Fig. 7 is a view looking on the left hand side of the magazine. Fig. 8 is a similar view to Fig. 6 but showing the replenishing mechanism in operation to insert a fresh pirn into the shuttle. Fig. 9 is an elevation looking on the front of the magazine and the replenishing mechanism associated therewith. Fig. 10 is a plan of the shuttle-box at the left hand side of the loom and the replenishin mechanism proper. Figs. 11 and 12 are a ragmentary transverse section and a plan, illustrating mechanism for effecting the stopping of the loom if the shuttle should not be in the proper position in the shuttle-box when a new pirn is to be inserted into the shuttle, and for cutting the weft from the displaced or out-going pirn. Fig. 13 is a plan of Fig. 11. Fig. 14 is a fragmentary side view and Fig. 15, is a lan of mechanism for stopping the loom i after three operations, the replenishin mechanism fails to insert a new pirn in the shuttle.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the feeler mechanism for initiating replenishment of the weft before the active pirn is completely exhausted consists of a feeler 20, Figs. 1 and 4 mounted to slide under and against the section of a spring 21, Fig. 4, on the front of the loom frame. The feeler is mounted in line with a gap 22 in the front of the shuttle-box 23 at the right hand side of the slay 24, with which gap an opening 25 in the front wall of the shuttle 26 aligns when the shuttle is in the box. During each beat-up movement of the slay 24 with the shuttle in the box .23, the feeler 20 passes through the gap 22 and opening 25 and engages the pirn 27 in the shuttle 26 and is pushed forward by the pirn against the action of the spring 21 which returns the feeler to its initial position during the following backward movement of the slay. The feeler 20 has mounted on it a pawl 28 pivoted at29. The forked free end28 of the pawl 28 is held raised by means of a spring 28 so that normally during the forward movement of the feeler it rides clear of a finger 30 on an arm 31 on a shaft 32. As the pirn 27 becomes more and more exhausted the feeler 20 passes further into the shuttle 26 until at length the wall of the shuttle bears against a tail piece 33 on the pawl 28 and thereby operates the latter about its pivot 29 to depress its free forked end 28*. The latter then engages the finger 30 on the arm 31 and rocks the shaft- 32. On the other end of the shaft 32 is an arm 34 (Figs. 2, 4, and 5) a linger 35 on which engages a finger 36 on a vertically .slidablc rod 37 and pulls down sam: against the action of a spring 38 (Figs. 2, 5). The upper end of the rod 37 has mounted on it a bifurcated member 39 which embracesan arm 40 pivoted to a lever 41 on a shaft 42 extending right across the front of the loom frame. The pulling down of the rod 37 depresses the free end 40 of the pivoted arm 40 into the path of a heel 43 on a weft hammer 44, operated by a cam 45 (Fig. 2) as usual, so that the next forward movement of the hammer carries with it the arm 40 which operates the lever 41 to rock the shaft 42, which latter as hereinafter explained operates the replenishing mechanism at the other side of the loom.

The weft fork mechanism for initiating replenishment of the weft when it breaks, comprises a fork 46 (Figs. 2, 4) pivoted at 47 on a rod 48 adapted to slide under and against the action of a spring 48 With the weft intact the fork 46 is engaged thereby during the forward or beat-up movements of the slay and is rocked on its pivot 47 to carry its angled front end 46 clear of the heel 43 on the weft hammer 44. If the weft should break the fork will not be rocked and its end 46 will, therefore, be engaged by the heel 43 of the hammer 44 which will slide the rod 48 forward, thus causing a tail piece 49 to engage a projection 50 on the lever 41 and operate to rock the shaft 42.

Referring now to Figs. 6 to 10 of the drawings, at the left hand si'de of the loom the shaft 42 has mounted on it a lever 51 connected by a slotted connection 52 with the lower and shorter arm of a lever 53 fulcrumed at 54 on the loom frame. The upper and longer arm of the lever 53 is connected by a resilient link 55 and is adapted to operate, a pirn carrier comprising a pair of arms 56 arranged one on each side of a vertical pirn magazine 57, and mounted on a pivot 58 at the top thereof. The magazine 57 is adapted to contain a number of full pirns 59 one above the other, the bottom pirn being retained by light springs 60. In the normal or retracted position of the carrier arms 56 shown in Fig. 6 the lower ends of the arm engage the ends of the lowermost pirn.

On the upper arm of the lever 53 is also mounted a resilient bunter 61, and on the slay 24 is mounted a striker 62 pivoted at 62 and normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. 6 by a spring 63, so that an abutment 62 thereon rides below the hunter 61.

When the shaft 42 is rocked either by operation of the feeler mechanism or of the weft fork mechanism as described above, the lever 51 operates the lever 53 to move the carrier arms 56 rearward from the normal position shown in Fig. 6 and extract the lowermost pirn 59 from the magazine and carry same into position inimediately above the shuttle 26 in the shuttle-box 64 a comparatively long time before the slay has completed its forward or beat-up stroke (as shown in Fig. 8) preferably when the loom crank is almost over or just past the top centre. The operation of the lever 53 also moves the hunter 61 into the path of the striker abutment 62". During the completion of the forward or beat'up movement of the slay the carrier arms move therewith and the abutment 62 on the striker 62 engages the hunter 61 which operates the striker about its pivot 62 to knock the new pirn 59 out of the arms and into the shuttle 26, the new pirn simultaneously ejecting the spent pirn 27 through the opening 64 in the bottom of the shuttle-box into a receptacle provided therebelow. At the completion of the beat-up stroke of the slay 24 the lever 53 and the carrier arms 56 are returned to initial position by means of a spring 65 (Fig. 11) connected to an arm 66 on the shaft 42 and anchored on the loom frame, against the action of which spring the shaft 42 is rocked as before described to operate the lever 53 and the carrier arms 56. The striker 62 is returned to its initial position by the spring 63 during the succeeding backward movement of the slay 24.

The ends of the thread of each of the pirns 59 in the magazine 57 are secured under separate tags or clips 67 provided on an endless belt 68 mounted on upper and lower pulleys 69, 70, the shaft 71 of the upper pulley 69 carrying a ratchet wheel 72 with which engages a pawl 73 at the upper end of the lever 53 each time the latter is operated, to actuate the ratchet wheel to travel the belt 68 in unison with the descent of the pirns 59 in the magazine 57. In arm 74, the upper end of which is loose on the pulley shaft 71, serves to guide the threads and has its lower end 7 4 hooked as shown in Fig. 7 to support the thread of the lowermost pirn and prevent same from getting entangled with the bottom pulley 70. The securing of the threads to the tags or clips 67 anchors the free end of the thread while the shuttle is making the first pick with a new pirn. The weft of the new pirn will be threaded in the usual way into the shuttle, which will be of the ordinary self-threading type.

In order to prevent damage to the mechanism by the attempted insertion of a new pirn into the shuttle if the latter should not be in the proper position in the box 64 to receive the pirn, a lever 75 Figs. 11, 12 and 13, is pivoted at 76 on the loom frame and has its short lower arm acted upon by a spring 77 anchored on the frame and which rocks the lever on its pivot to project the horizontally bent end 78 of the longer upper arm of the lever towards the slay 24. When the shuttle is properly positioned in the box the end 78 of the upper arm of the lever will clear the shuttle during the forward movement of the slay. If, however, the shuttle should not be properly positioned in the box, the end 78 will strike against the side of the shuttle as shown in Fig. 13, and the upper arm of the lever will be moved forward and, engaging a spring buffer 79 carried by an arm 80 on a shaft 81 extending across the loom, will operate said arm to rock the shaft. The rocking of the shaft 81 will cause an arm 82 (Figs. 1, 4 and 5) thereon at the right hand side of the loom to lift a finger 83 pivoted to an arm 84 on the belt-shifter lever 85, into the path of an abutment 86 (Figs. 1, 3) on the slay, so that during-the forward movement of the latter the abutment will engage the finger 83 and the beltshifter lever will be released from its retaining notch 87, Fig. 4, and will be operated by the usual spring or weight to shift the driving belt to stop the loom.

The upper arm of the lever 75 has attached to it a light spring 88 (Figs. 11. 12, 13) forming a clip below which the thread leading from the tag or clip 67 on the endless belt 68 to a newly inserted pirn in the shuttle will pass when the arm of the lever 75 is again projected towards the slay by the spring 77, and the slay beats-up after the first pick of the shuttle. By this means the thread is held comparatively near the selvedge of the cloth while the thread is severed by the usual cutting means at the end of the beat-up, and the loose end of the thread is prevented from getting entangled with any part of the mechanism before it is removed by hand.

The horizontal bent end 78 of the upper arm of the lever 75 is bifurcated, the lower jaw of the bifurcation constituting one blade 89 of a scissors for severing the thread of the displaced or out-going pirn. The other blade 90 of the device is constituted by the similarly bent arm of a lever 91 pivoted at 92 on the lever 75. Normally the blades 89, 90 are closed as shown in Fig. 11 and the Weft passes above the blade 90 into the bifurcation of the end 78 of the lever 75 as the slay beats up. When, however, the shaft 42 has been rocked to operate the replenishing mechanism, the arm 66 engages a stop 93 on the lower arm of the lever 91 and rocks the lever in its pivot 92 to open the blades 89, 90, as shown in Fig. 12, so that during the succeeding forward movement of the slay the weft of the displaced or outgoing pirn passes between the blades and is severed by the closing thereof by the slay striking against an abutment 94 of the lever 91 and rocking" the lever 91 in the opposite direction to again close the blades. When the shaft 42 and arm 66 return to initial position the arm springs past the abutment 93 and again gets below same ready for the next operation.

For the purpose of stopping the loom if after a predetermined number, say three, attempts the replenishing mechanism fails to insert a new pirn into the shuttle, there is provided on the slidable rod 48 a springprcssed pawl 95, Figs. 14 and 15, adapted to co-act with ratchet teeth 96 on a springpressed slide 97 mounted to slide in the same support 98 as the rod 48. A second pawl 99 pivoted on the support 98 has its tip also adapted to co-act with the teeth 96 and to lie below the pawl 95, and its tail adapted to be engaged by a projection 100 on the hammer 44. \Vhen the end 46 of the weft fork 46 engages the heel 43 of the hammer 44 and the latter moves the rod 48, the pawl carries the slide 97 with the rod a distance corresponding to one of the teeth 96.

During the return movement of the hammer the pawl 99 will hold the slide while the rod 48 returns to its initial position. If the weft-rcplcnishiug mechanism fails to operatc,'the next operation of the hammer will again operate the rod 48 to move the slide 97 another tooth space. These operations and movements of the slide 97 will be repeated for three consecutive. failures of the replenishing-mechanism, after which the movement of the slide 97 will cause an abut ment 101, to engage a complen'ientary abutment 102, on a lever 103 (Figs. 4. 5, 15) and operate such lever to release the belt shifter lever 85. If, after one or two failures of the replenishing mechanism'the same should then operate the rocking of the pawl 99 by the projection 100 on the hammer 44 will lift the pawl 95 to release the slide 97 and allow same to return to zero.

If desired, the weft fork mechanism may, in some cases, be adapted to stop the loom instead of to operate the replenishing mechanism. This may be effected by adjusting the tail piece 49 on the rod 48 to the horizontal position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, in which position the tail piece will, when the rod is moved by the hammer 44, engage an abutment. 104 on the end of the lever 103 and operate the lever to release the belt shifter lever 85. In this way the Weft fork mechanism can, in the event of the replenishing mechanism being out of order, be adapted to operate as an ordinary stop mechanism when the weft breaks or is exhausted.

It will be apparent that the pirn-carrying arms 56 always carry the fresh pirn into a definite position above the shuttle-box 64 and the shuttle therein and maintain such position during the movement of the arms with the slay, that as the striker 62 is mounted on the slay it operates with fixed relation to the positioned fresh pirn, the shuttle-box and the shuttle therein, and that as the striker operates during the movement of the arms with the slay and while the latter is completing its beat-up stroke, a substantial period of time is provided for the insertion of the fresh pirn into the shuttle and the ejection of the spent pirn, whereas in known weft-replenishing means in which the fresh pirn is not inserted until the slay has almost completed its beat-up stroke, the insertion has to be effected practically instantancously, with the result that the slightest disarrangcment of the parts of the mechanisms renders them ineffective.

It will be understood that the invention is applicable to looms of any ordinary overpick or underpick type having either a fast or loose reed, and that the details of construction of the mechanism may be modified without departing from the principle of the invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic weft-replenishing means for looms, having a shuttle and a shuttle box, comprising a magazine adapted to contain a supply of full cops, pirns or the like, a pair of carrying arms normally in a retracted position and adapted when advanced to remove a cop, pirn or the like from said magazine and carry same into position above the shuttle, a lever for operating said arms, a weft fork or feeler mechanism controlled by the weft and adapted, when operated, to actuate said lever to advance said carrying arms, a striker pivotally mounted on the slay, and a hunter or stop on said lever and normally in a position clear of said striker, and adapted when the lever is actuated to advance the carrying arms to move into the path of said striker, which is subsequently operated thereby to displace the cop, pirn or the like from the carrying arms and insert it into the shuttle, substantially as set forth.

2. An automatic weft-replenishing means for looms having a shuttle and a shuttle box, comprising a magazine adapted to contain a supply of full cops, a pair of carrying arms normally in a retracted position and'adapted when advanced to remove a cop, from said magazine and carry same into position above the shuttle, a lever for operating said arms, a weft fork or feeler mechanism controlled by the weft and adapted, when operated, to actuate said lever to advance said carrying arms, a striker pivotally mounted on the slay, anda bunter or stop on said lever and normally in a position clear of said striker, adapted when the lever is actuated to advance the carrying arms to move into the path of said striker, which is subsequently operated thereby to displace the cop, from the carrying arms and insert it into the shuttle, substantially as set forth, means for engaging a displaced shuttle in the box to actuate said lever and means actuated by the movement of said lever due to such engagement for stopping the loom.

3. An automatic weft-replenishing means for looms having a shuttle and a shuttle box, comprising a n'iagazine adapted to contain a supply of full cops, a pair of carrying arms normally in a retracted position and adapted when advanced to remove a cop, from said magazine and carry same into position above the shuttle, a lever for operating said arms, a weft fork or feeler mechanism controlled by the weft and adapted, when operated, to actuate said lever to advance said carrying arms a striker pivotally mounted on the slay, and a hunter or stop on said lever and normally in a position clear of said striker, adapted when the lever is actuated to advance the carrying arms to move into the path of said striker, which is subsequently operated thereby to displace the cop, from the carrying arms and insert it into the shuttle, substantially as set forth, means for engaging a displaced shuttle in the box to actuate said lever, means actuated by the movement of said lever due to such engagement for stopping the loom, and other means to effect stopping of the loom upon failure of the replenishing mechanism to effect positioning of a pirn in the shuttle.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

PETER JAMES TERRY. 

